The World Has Stopped Turning
by castlones
Summary: For the first time in 2 months, she was happy.
1. Chapter 1

Just a warning before anyone starts to read this story. This chapter contains talk about suicide; I don't go into too much detail but just a warning.

Disclaimer: The usual, I don't own Castle but I wish I did.

* * *

He'd been missing for 5 months, 4 days, 7 hours, 24 minutes and 7 seconds. 8 seconds. 9 seconds. 10 seconds. Every minute she'd look at the clock and another minute had ticked by since he'd disappeared. It was just like that night all those years ago. She could remember every detail of the day he went missing, every single detail. They'd had a stressful case that had finally been solved and Rick had told Kate that he had booked a table at one of her favourite restaurants. She'd never told him it was her favourite restaurant, she didn't want to make him think that he had to take her out all the time but somehow Rick had found out. The Golden Lagoon. She takes the long way back to his loft now, just to avoid driving past the restaurant.

* * *

The day had been going fine as it could have been without him around. She was filling out paperwork when Gates had called her into her office and told her that she had done everything she could but there was nothing else they could do. Richard Castle's missing report was now a cold case. There was no leads, no CCTV footage, nothing. Kate remembers collapsing into their chair in front of Gates's desk, rocking back and forth, repeating his name over and over again. She begged for Gates to do something, something to keep the case open. She even looked at Gates and looked into her eyes and pleaded with her, to bring him home. To bring her husband home. She remembers Gates's eyes clouding over with tears, seeing one of her best detectives break down in front of her, without being able to do anything. Some time had passed when she heard Lanie's voice telling her that she was going to take her back to the loft. And that's where she was now. Lanie had gone home; Kate had somehow convinced her that she would be fine. With Kate's track recorded Lanie shouldn't have listened to her but Kate was grateful that she did. She now found herself sat on Rick's chair in his office, with his notebook of ideas and scrawls of random sentences for his books in front of her, playing with her wedding ring. She picked up the pen and started to write, she had so much to say, but she wasn't the writer Rick was. She had to do this for him. She hated she would hurt her friends, Alexis and Martha. When she had finished writing, she placed the letter on the island in the kitchen. She'd almost forgotten he was there, but the gun that every so often was pushed into her back brought her back to the hell she was living in. He stood behind her trapping her in between him and the counter.

"You know, I never thought you'd come this willingly. I thought you would at least put but up a fight. I thought I'd least get the chance to have some fun while torturing you" There was no indication made of what he meant by "have some fun" but she knew. People had told her things like this in the past, never told her outright but the hidden meaning shined through. She swallowed the bile that threatened to rise up at what he wanted to do to her.

"Yeah well I don't have much choice when there's a gun practically glued onto my back and the life of Rick is in your hands" She spat. God, he was still alive. Or that's what she was told. Deep down even though the letter would hurt everyone she hoped this ordeal was all worth it and she would get to see Rick and rescue him. Whether this man had a plan or not, she wasn't going to follow it rule for rule.

"My boss told me you'd be so much fun" The guy clearly dismissing what Kate had said. "That's why I took the job with hesitating. See... fun is just what I'm looking for. I don't get much fun at home" The guy's hand was on Kate's stomach and slowly moved down. Kate squirmed trying to fight his hand off but she was much weaker and her resisting only tightened the man's hand on her. "Now now, stop resisting" She chocked back a sob realising there was no way out of his grip. Kate felt the gun being removed from her back and watched as the man placed it on the counter. He then took hold of her left arm and started to force her to follow him into the office. She tried to slow down her pace realising what his intention was. "What did I say before? Stop resisting" And his hand gripped tighter on her arm. Kate had one last chance to defend herself and her right arm punched him in the gut. The man hunched over not expecting the hit but soon recovered and grabbed hold of her as she tried to run. "You're a feisty one you are" She was leaning against the bookcase, his hand at her neck and suddenly his hips thrust into hers and stayed there. She could feel how much he was enjoying this and she was sure she was going to be sick. He then kneed her, hitting her stomach with such force she left his grip and fell to the floor. She couldn't breathe and everything around her was moving. She felt something warm trickling down her head and realised she'd hit her head on something. She was bleeding and probably had concussion. Great.

"Please, just tell me where he is and you can run. I'll give you a head start. Just please-" She begged, she hated begging but god she just wanted to see him. He knelt down beside her and laughed.

"I was told to bring you to my boss and then it's his turn to do whatever he wants. After I give him what he wants I'm out. Then I run. And you'll never find me"

"Oh I wouldn't bank on it, god forbid I will find you even if it takes the rest of my life. You don't get to hurt my husband or me and get away with it. So you can run for as long as you want, you can go wherever you want but just remember that I'll be somewhere out there ready to take you down and lock you up" Her head pounded when she spoke but she wasn't letting this bastard or his boss win. Suddenly she felt something jab into the side of her neck and everything faded and she was left in darkness.

* * *

Lanie knew leaving Kate alone after receiving the news that Rick's death was now a cold case had been delivered to her, she mentally kicked herself as she dragged Esposito with her back to the loft.

"Javi, I shouldn't have left her. It was stupid of me to think she would be "fine". I need to be with her and you're coming with me" They soon made their way to Castle's building and up to his floor. Espo noticed the door open before Lanie and directed her to stand behind him. They slowly made their way into the loft and noticed nothing out of the ordinary. Lanie then noticed the letter on the island and picked it up. She quickly scanned the letter and turned to Espo who was right behind her.

"Lanie what is it?" Lanie lifted the letter up to him and he took it out of her hand, guided her over to the couch and began to read.

_Today I found out that Rick's missing report is now a cold case, there are no leads and if it was any other case I'd understand. You can't continue investigating a case with nothing to go on. But I don't understand. He's my partner. He's my best friend. He's my husband. And I need him. God I need him so much. I see people grieving every day for their loved ones and more times than I would like to remember I've been sat in front of wives who have lost their husbands. They had children, young or old. Or they was about to start a family. And in a way I could understand their grief, but god I was so wrong. I thought the pain of losing my mom was difficult watching my Dad slowly kill himself while I battled on, trying to save him. But the pain of losing a husband is far worse. I can't explain the feeling you get when you physically feel your heart tear apart. Your world has suddenly gone black and you know your world will never see sunlight again. We were about to start a family. We'd decided a couple of days before he went missing while lazing around in bed when I had the day off. I remember Rick's smile beaming back at me when I said I think it was time we added to our family. He was so happy and that made me happy. I couldn't wait to be pregnant with Rick's child. Is that weird? I couldn't wait to have the weird cravings and become a beached whale and hardly being able to walk by the end. But I'll never have that. I wish I was pregnant with his child right now, because then I'd have something to live for. I know everyone thinks I was mad for believing he was still alive, they had somehow come to terms with it sooner that I had. Even Alexis and Martha. But how could I give up? It was my duty as his partner, his wife, to continue to look for him. He would only do the same if I was the one missing. I never wanted to give up; I wasn't willing to just give up like that. You have to understand it wasn't my choice. But now I know he isn't alive because I suddenly feel cold even when I'm wrapped up in our sheets wearing one of his t-shirts and I'm cold when the heating is on full blast and Alexis comes to visit and nearly faints from the heat. There's a part of me missing and I don't want to be here anymore. I know I screamed and screamed and screamed at my Dad when he turned to drink telling him he was stupid and to think about me, he wasn't the only one who lost Mom. But I understand. I understand so much Dad. And I'm sorry, so sorry for the way I treated you. Because if I feel what I'm feeling right now loosing Rick then this is how you felt loosing Mom. I understand. I do. I'm going to go and join Rick now and maybe we can finally start the family we've both always wanted. And for the first time in 2 months I'm happy._

Espo gets his phone out and calls Ryan. Ryan picks up almost immediately and Espo begins to tell Ryan what's happened. Suddenly all that can be heard is Lanie's blood curdling scream coming from the master bedroom.


	2. Chapter 2

I've updated and changed a few things in Chapter 1 to make the story make more sense, so I'd advise you to re-read Chapter 1. Hope you enjoy!

Disclaimer: The usual, I don't own Castle but I wish I did.

* * *

Esposito ran into what he could only think was Rick and Kate's room and found Kate on the bed, her head facing the doorway. Dead. He felt his face drain of blood and stumbled back and lent against the doorway. He couldn't take his eyes of her lifeless body lying on the bed. The strong smell of alcohol filled the room and the letter and the bits of it he managed to read suddenly made sense. She'd taken her own life. Oh god. He didn't even know he was crying until he felt Lanie's thumb brush away the tear marks that stained his face.

"Javi, it's not Kate" Espo looked at Lanie with a confused look. How can she say that? He knows what Kate looks like, god damnit so does Lanie. It can't be anyone else other than Kate.

"Lanie look at her! It's her, its Kate. She's gone-"

"Javier Esposito you listen to me right now. That" And she pointed to "Kate" on the bed. "Is not Kate. You hear me? Whoever this girl is, she has rope marks on her neck and I bet you I find green and white fibres.

"You're saying-"

"I wish I wasn't but yes. Kate was right. 3XK is behind all this" Espo let go of a breath he didn't even know he was holding and embraced Lanie in a hug. "So if this John Doe isn't Kate, then the next step is figure where Kate is"

"Why did you scream when you came in the room if you know it's not Kate?" Espo could still here Lanie's scream being played on loop through his head.

"You can't deny she's basically Kate's twin and it wasn't until I got up close that I realised it wasn't her. They put the mole on the wrong side of John Doe's face, she doesn't smell of cherries and there's no tattoo on her right hip" Lanie took hold of Espo's hand and directed him into the living room and sat him down on the couch.

"I've rang Ryan he should be here soon and he rang it in so everyone else should be here soon" He looked at Lanie and she nodded as she rubbed her thumb over Espo's hand. "The letter I... There's no doubt that she wrote it but I think she was forced to. She's left us clues that only we'd understand, so we all need to go over them and find out what each clue means" Just as he finished speaking Ryan burst through the door looking frantic.

"Where she is? What happened?" Ryan asked rushing over to them. When he saw Espo's face he paled. "Oh god no. Don't-"

"No Ryan. It's not what you think. It's him, it's that bastard again"

* * *

Kate woke up to someone whispering her name. She groaned as she tried to move and her body protested. She slowly opened her eyes and immediately saw the bright blue eyes she had wanted to see for over 5 months.

"Castle?" Her voice croaked as she spoke, she tried to reach out to him to prove to herself he was real and she wasn't dreaming but her arms felt so heavy.

"It's okay, don't move. I think you was drugged so you'll feel weak and I don't want you to hurt yourself even more" He realised she was crying and wiped away the fallen tears with his thumb. "Hey, why are you crying? Are you hurt? Did he touch you? I swear to-"

"You're alive. God, you're alive. I thought I'd never see you again" He slowly moved her body towards his and draped an arm over her waist and kissed her forehead. He felt her cling onto him, leaving little space between them both and her lips kiss his neck. "Why are you here? Why did he take you Rick?"

"He threatened you. I... God I didn't know what to do. He was going to kill you, he told me every single thing he'd do to you to hurt me and I couldn't let him go through with it, I couldn't let him take you away. God. Kate, if you left... if you-" Rick's voice cracked as he tried to keep his emotions at bay.

"Hey, look at me" Kate managed to lift her right hand on to his cheek and stroked her thumb underneath his eye. That's when she noticed the faded bruise around his right eye. As she scanned his body for any more injuries she felt a sob break free seeing the damage that had been inflicted on him. "Rick? What happened to you?" He avoided eye contact and he felt her stiffen against him. "Please Rick, tell me"

"He... God... I... I'm so sorry Kate. I'm so sorry. He heard us. He heard us talking about wanting children of our own. He wouldn't stop taunting me" He took deep breaths trying to settle his stomach. The words 3XK had spoken running in circles in his head. "He was going to bring you here, tie me up and make me watch you and him... together. He wasn't going to stop until he got you pregnant and he'd keep you locked up until you gave birth. His plan was to take you instead of me and after you gave birth take you back to the loft with the baby in your arms. He wanted for me to think that you had run away and got pregnant and stayed away until you gave birth. I had to do this; I had to take your place. I wasn't going to let that happen to you. God I've only just stopped being physically sick when I think about it" Kate had visibly paled as he finished telling her the details and he sat up and gathered her in his arms, being careful of her fragile state and begin to rock her, whispering in her ear how he'd always protect her and he'd love her no matter what happen. Always.

"I'm so sorry Rick. I'm so sorry you had to go through all of this to protect me. It was never meant to be like this. We were supposed to be trying for a family" He had endured 5 months of hell for her, to protect her. If she had doubts about how much he loved her before this, there was no doubts now. "I never gave up you know. I worked all day, every day trying to find something that someone might have missed. All I wanted was to find some piece of evidence that would break the case wide open and would make everyone believe me and stop them thinking I was going mad. Our friends, our family looked at me with pity Castle. But I couldn't give up, it wasn't even an option. There was some days I would have this feeling, I just felt cold for a couple of hours or it would last all day and into the night and those were the times I started to think that it was possible you was gone and every time I remember Alexis coming into our room and she would pull me into a hug and I'd break down. Oh god... Alexis... Rick... This is going to kill her"

"Hey, don't worry about Alexis okay? She's our strong little girl, well I know she's not little but we can pretend right?" If he wanted to make her laugh he achieved just that, a little chuckle escaped her lips as Rick carried on rubbing a hand down her back, soothing her.

"Rick?"

"Hmm?"

"Who's the boss? The guy who took me told me the boss said that I would be... I would be a lot of fun and that's what he needed because he didn't get much at home" She forced down the bile that threatened to rise up into her mouth. "Who's the boss?"

Just like a scene you would see in a movie the door swung open and the man who she knew was behind this whole hell on earth stood there, his eyes looked straight in to hers and her whole body shook at the cold look she saw in his eyes. "I'm the boss, but I guess you already knew that, didn't you?"


End file.
